Hemoglobin, Blood Gas Unit Converter

Hemoglobin is the iron-containing protein inside red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to tissues throughout your body and returns carbon dioxide back to the lungs.

Each red blood cell contains about 250 to 300 million hemoglobin molecules, and each molecule can carry up to four oxygen molecules. Approximately 98 to 99% of the oxygen transported in blood is bound to hemoglobin, with only 1 to 2% dissolved directly in plasma.

When measured as part of an arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis, hemoglobin provides rapid assessment of oxygen-carrying capacity alongside pH, oxygen, and carbon dioxide levels. This is particularly valuable in critical care settings where quick clinical decisions are needed.

Hemoglobin is produced in the bone marrow during red blood cell formation (erythropoiesis). The process is stimulated by erythropoietin, a hormone made primarily by the kidneys in response to low oxygen levels, and requires adequate iron, vitamin B12, and folate for proper hemoglobin synthesis.